Bread Machine (89 page)

Do not slash or glaze the loaf. Place the pan directly on the oven rack, or on the stone if using, and immediately reduce the oven temperature to 425°F. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the surface of the loaf is a deep golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped with your finger. Immediately remove the loaf from the pan and place it on a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

LITTLE ITALIAN BREAD ROLLS           
Makes 3 small breads

T
his recipe for
pane all’olio Bolognese
is based on one found in the March 1980 issue of one of my all-time favorite food magazines, the now defunct
Cuisine.
It is a good, simple recipe with a nice three-hour
biga
starter and a three-hour rise for flavor, but it is the shaping that makes these rolls special. I give instructions for three special shapes. Two decades ago, very few people aside from native Italians knew about the intricate shapes into which these oversized rolls could be made. With the vast increase of interest in foods from all areas of Italy, authentically shaped bread and rolls are now more commonplace in the United States. These white rolls are crusty and beautiful. Please search out leaf lard; it is most flavorful in the rolls and gives them an authentic taste.

1
¹
/
₂
- OR 2-POUND-LOAF MACHINES

For the biga starter:

1 cup water

1
¹
/
₄
cups unbleached all-purpose flour

¹
/
₄
teaspoon SAF or bread machine yeast

For the dough:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon lard, cut into pieces

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

¹
/
₂
cup white pastry flour (not cake flour)

2 teaspoons salt

1
¹
/
₂
teaspoons SAF yeast or 2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

¹
/
₄
cup white cornmeal, for sprinkling

To make the
biga
starter, place the starter ingredients in the pan according to the order in the manufacturer’s instructions. Program for the Dough cycle and set a kitchen timer for 10 minutes. When the timer rings, press Stop and unplug the machine. Let the starter rest in the machine for 3 hours.

To make the dough, add all the dough ingredients to the starter in the pan. Program for the Dough cycle; press Start. After Knead 2, press Reset, and program for the Dough cycle again, allowing the dough to be kneaded a second time. When the machine beeps at the end of the cycle, press Stop and unplug the machine. Let the finished dough sit in the machine for 2 hours.

Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface; divide it into 3 equal portions. Flatten each portion into a 7-inch round with your palms. Roll up each round into a tight log. Cover with oiled plastic wrap, and let rest for 10 minutes. With a rolling pin, roll each log into a 10-by-3-inch rectangle. Cover again with the plastic wrap and let them rest for 5 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and sprinkle with cornmeal.

To make
carciofo
, rolls that resemble artichokes, cut 2-inch slits that go about three-quarters of the way across, spaced
¹
/
₂
inch apart, down one long side of the dough. Starting at a short end, roll up the dough. Place, with the fringed edge standing up, on the baking sheet.

With your fingers, pull down the strips of dough to make a petal effect. Repeat with the other 2 rectangles.

To make
montasu
, or scrolls, roll up the 2 short ends of the rectangle toward the center with your thumbs pressing and pushing, until the two rolls almost meet in the middle, with a 1-inch space between the two. Twist one roll 90° and lay it on top of the other roll. Press firmly in the center to adhere the two rolls together and hold the shape. Place on the baking sheet. Repeat with the other 2 rectangles.

To make the
crocetta
, little cross rolls, roll up the 2 short ends of the rectangle towards the center, until they almost meet, but leave a 1-inch space in between. Twist one roll 2 complete turns to form a double twist in the center section. Pull one roll up and over the second roll, centering the double twist on the second roll. Twist and turn the top roll under the bottom, forming a cross. Place on the baking sheet. Repeat with the other 2 rectangles.

Let stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Brush gently with water and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until crusty and golden brown. Place the baking sheet on a rack to cool. Serve the rolls within a few hours.